The Grand Duke of Corsica

Timothy Spall is ideally cast as vulgarian architect Alfred Rott in this handsome and droll saga set on the island of Malta. After losing a commission for an arts venue, he reluctantly agrees to create a mausoleum for the Duke of Corsica (Peter Stormare), an eccentric billionaire who has fallen victim to the malaria epidemic. In creating the edifice, Rott draws inspiration from a film about St Francis of Assisi, the star of which (Matt Hookings) also died of the disease, which is sweeping the island. Recalling 1987 drama Belly of an Architect in its themes of snobbery, decadence and decay, Daniel Graham's film often feels as parodic as it is profound. The visuals are grand yet playful, and while the results are patchy and pretentious, they are also curiously captivating.